One dead after Nevada man opens fire in Mormon church, police say

By

Ray Downs

July 23 (UPI) -- A Nevada man is in custody after he allegedly walked into a Mormon church during Sunday services and fatally shot one person and injured another, police said.

John Kelley O'Connor, 48, is suspected of walking into the Fallon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Fallon, Nev. at about 1 pm on Sunday and firing two shots, one of them killing 61-year-old Charles "Bert" Miller and injuring another person in the leg.

O'Connor, who is a member of the church, walked to his home across the street after the shooting, police said.

"Officers and sheriff's deputies surrounded the home while a hostage negotiator called in," Fallon City Police Chief Kevin Gammon said, KSTU-TV reported. "After placing phone calls to the home, Mr. O'Connor agreed to exit the property and surrendered to officers."

According to the Nevada Appeal, O'Connor is a longtime resident of Fallon and unsuccessfully ran for a Stata Assembly seat in 2010.

Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto, D-Nev., said she was "devastated" by the shooting.

"Thank you to the first responders on the scene. My heart goes out to all of those impacted. Places of worship should be a safe haven. The gun violence across this country must end," she said in a statement.